Self-propelled mowing-machine.



SHC RHAN,

SELF PROPELLED MOW ENG MAGEINE.

APPLIUATION FILED DEG.27,1911.

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Patented Aug. 12, 913.

7 'SHEETSSHEET l.

Wm M m Z 3 M h. a

G. SHORMAN.

SELF PROPELLED MOWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILEDDEG. 27, 1911.

Lflfi pwe Patented Au ,12,191s.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

In 0? 70 n- C. SHORMAN.

SELF PROPELLED MOWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 27, 1911.

Patented Aug. 12, 1913.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

wan:

G. SHORMAN. SELF PROPBLLED MOWING MACHINE. 1

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 27, 1911.

' Patented Aug". 12, 1913.

' 7 SHEETSSHBET 5.

c. SHQRMAN. SELF PROPELLED MOWINQ MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEG 2'7, 191'] 7 SHBETSSHEET 6.

Patented Aug. 12, 1913;

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c. SHORMAN. SELF PROPBLLBD MOWING MACHINE.

APPLIGATION FILED DEC. 27, 1911- L069fi36. Patented Aug. 12, 1913.

7 SHEETS-BHEET 7.

. 2 17 5; flayfmgg 'cHAUNcEY 'snofima'n, or cnlceo, rn-Lmois.

SELIE -PROIELLED mowm-maci iiun.

Application filed December 27, 1911. Serial No. 668,030.

Specificati n of-Letters'ratent.

Patented Aug. 12,1918.

' v To all whom it may concern;

. illustrated as embodied in Be it known that I, CHAUNCEY SlEIQRMAN, a citizen of the *United States, residing at Chicago, in the county 'Of Cook and State of. Illinois, have "invented certain new and useful Improvements in Self-Propelled Mowing-Machines, of which the following is a specification. s

My invention relates in general to agricultural implements, and more particularly to a self-propelledmowing machine.

The primary object of my invention isto provide a self-propelled mow-mg machine so constructed as to fully utilize the power of theprop'elling engine' A further object of my invention is to' provide a self-propelling mowing machine 7 in which the maximum width of the swath which it can-cut and the speed will be proportional to the power of the propelling en'- gine, and in which the speed of the mower and the width and position of-the swath may be varied to meet the various conditions of use. 7 A further object of my invention is to provide a self-propelling mowing machine, which will be comparatively simple in con- 'struction, elficient in use, and economical in operation. My invention will be more fully described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the same is a convenient and practical form, and in WlIlCll- Figure 1 is a'plan view; Fig. 2, aside elevational View, looking from the right in Fig. 1 F lg. 33, a verticalsection through the plane of the rear'axle,vshowing the engine, transmission and adjacent parts; F 1g. 4, an enlarged perspective view, showing the mechanism for adjustably supporting one of the sickle bars; Fig. 5, a perspective view, showing the means for vertically adjusting the height of one of'the sickle bars; Fig. 6, an elevational view, showing one of the 'sickle bars'and adjacent portions of the detail elevational view, looking from the left in Fig. 7; Fig. 9, a detail view, showingthe telescopic portion of th'epitman shaft. Fig. 10, a cross sect-ionalview of the telescopic portion of the pitman shaft; and

mechanism for operating one of the clutches on the power shaft for controlling the operation of one of the sickles'.

. The same reference characters are used to designate the same parts in the several views of the drawings f The supporting frame upon which the propelling and sickle actuating mechanisms are mounted, and which in turn is supported upon thewheels, comprises a series of 1011- gitudinal and transverse members ably-composed of channel bars.

A indicates the rear transverse bar of the supporting frame to which are secured longitudinal members A, A and A I A designates a transverse member of the supporting frame which extends from the front end of the side longitudinal member A", which is shorter than the longitudinal members A, A The member A is rigidly secured to "the transverse members A, A by any suitable fastening means.

A indicates the front transverse member-of the supporting frame which is rigidly connected at its ends to the forward end of the longitudinal members A, A

Prope'llz'ng and steering mec am'sm.B

- indicates the rear axle to the ends of'which are rigidly connected the driving wheels B prefer and B and upon which the rear ends of the longitudinal members of the supporting frame are supported.

=0, and C designate the front'steering wheels of the machine, each of which is mounted upon a pivotally supported knuckle.

0 indicates the knuckle whichsupports the front wheel C and'which is pivotally supported upon a bracket a secured to the end of the longitudinal member A of the frame. A rod 0 extendsrearwardly from the crank arm of the knuckle c and is pivotally connected to a bell crank lever C also pivotally mounted upon the supporting frame. The other arm of the bell crank lever C the 'oppositeend of which is pivotally connected to one end of a lever C pivoted intermediate of its ends upon the transverse member A. The other end of the lever C is pivotally connected to a rod 0 which in turnis pivotally connected with the crank arm of the knuckle 0 upon which the other front steering wheel C is mounted. The

knuckle 0 is pivotally supported in a is pivotally connected to a rod 0*,

' idly fixed upon a power shaft G located parsupporting frame. The rod c is provided which meshes with a,

with a toothed rack C pinion on. the .lower end of the steering staff 0 C designates .the steering wheel which is secir'ed to the upper end of the steering sta' v D, D? and D designate the cylinders of the .enginewhich are mounted vertically by any suitable means upon the'supporting frame and above the rear axle.

D indicates the crank shaft with which are operatively connected the-piston rods of the several engines. j

E designates a transmission shaft alining with the crank shaft-D and extending into the casing E, of the transmission mechanism. I

F designates a clutch of any suitable type for rigidly connecting the adjacent ends of the crank shaft'D and transmission shaft E. f designates a crank arm for operating the clutch F- and which is rigidly securedto a rock shaft F .extending forwardly of-the machine to a point adjacent the driver where it is provided witha crank lever f by which theshaft F may be oscillated and the clutch operated to lock or unlock the connection'botween the crank shaft and transmission shaft.

The end of the transmission shaft Ewithin the casing E, is connected by any suitable speed adjusting a shaft E the end of which projects through the casing E sprocket pinion e meshes with they sprocket a larger sprocket wheel 6 (see Fig. l) rig- A sprocket chain E allel with and preferably in a plane below the crank shaft. Fixed upon the power shaft G is a sprocket pinion b from which the sprocket chain B extends to and-around the sprocket wheel .of the differential B on the axle B. Any suitable means may be provided for controlling the transmission mechanism so as to vary the speed of the power sliaft G, such controlling mechanism being shown as comprising a rock shaft E ex tending forwardly'to a point convenient for the driver, where it is provided with a crank lever e). is provided with a depending crank arm 6 connected by rods 6 with the transmission mechanism. The machine is preferably provided with suitable brakes which may conveniently comprise friction bands I), b surrounding and engaging disks fixed upon the rear axle and adjacent the wheels. The friction bands are operated in the usual manner by forwardly extending rods 6 and b respectively, which are connected to depending cranks on rock shafts B and B respectively,the latter extending transversely and rotatably mount- .engine, aconduit 7' gears 6 with and upon whichis secured an} and also with tuated from the same power shaft G, which shaft also serves to propel the machine. In the embodiment of; my invention herein The-rear end of the rock .shaft E ed upon the supporting frame. The inner ends of the rock shafts B and B respectively, are provided with crank arms'connected to an operating rod '13 extending forwardly to a point convenient for the driver, where it is connected with a foot-operated lever B". (See Fig.

I H indicates a radiator for cooling the wa ter which circulates through the cylinder jackets.

71. indicates a fan driven by any suitable mechanism for cooling the radiator and preferably located between the engine icylinders and adjacent the surface of the radiator, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. I

-h" indicates the pipes leading from the tops'of the cylinder jackets to the top of the radiator, while 72. indicates the conduits leading from the engine jackets adjacent their lower ends to the lower portion of the radiator. A conduit H leads from the top of the radiator to the top of a'water tang H while'a conduit H leads from the bottom of the water tank to thebottom of the radiator.

J indicates a tank for containing the gasolene or other hydrocarbon for propelling the extending from adjacent the bottom of the tang to the usual carbureter d of the engine. The gasolene .and water tanks may be conveniently supported upon a frame J having vertical standards J 2 and J 3 secured at their lower ends to the 1 longitudinal members A and A of the supporting frame. Y

Mechanism for operating the sickZes.- My improved self propelling mowing machine comprises one or more sickles and supporting bars, each of which may be separately controlled, but all of which are acspecifically disclosed, three sickle bars K,

K and K are provided upon each of which 110 is mounted a reciprocating sickle 70, W, or 70 The sickle bar Kis mounted upon the end'of the longitudinal member A of the supporting member; sickle bar K is mounted upon the longitudinal member A of'the frame adjacent the end thereof; and the sickle bar K? is mounted upon the longitu- ,dinal member A ofthe supporting frame.

The means by which the sickle bars are operatively' secured to the frame so as to be swung into operative or inoperative position, and'so as to be adjusted when in oper-' ative position, according to the character of the ground over which the machine moves, are shown more particularly in Figs. 2, 4 f and 6. The inner end of each sickle bar is pivotally secured to an inner shoe L, L or L respectively. Each of the inner shoes is provided with front and rear flexible connections with the overlying member of the 130 supporting member. For instance, in Fig. 4, the shoe L of the sickle bar K is connected by means of the jointed linksZ and Z with brackets Z and Z secured beneath the longitudinal member A of the supporting frame. The sickle bar is provided with spaced lugs Z, Z which straddle a lug 7: upon the lower portion of the shoe L a bolt extending through registering holes in "the alined lugs Z, 7:: and Z, thereby pivotal ly connecting the sickle bar to the shoe so that the bar may be swung from a horizontal operative position into the vertical inoperative position shown in Fig. 6. The top portion of each of the shoes is provided with spaced.

ears which straddle and are pivotally con nected to the lower end of a vertical supporting bar, such as shown at M in Fig. 4. The vertical bar M is supported and guided by a vertical hollow guide N rigidly secured to the adjacent member A of the supporting frame in any suitable manner, as by means of angle brackets or. Stay rods a and n extend from the upper end of the guide N in opposite directions to the member of the frame A so as to rigidly support the guide upon the frame.

In order that each sickle bar may be conveniently swung into a vertical inoperative position a Windlass is provided, such as shown inFigLt, comprising a. chain M, one end of which is adapted to be detachably secured to the corresponding sickle bar at the point m. The chain M passes over a guide roller m mounted upon the upper end of the bar M and thence passes to the sheave 0* to which it is secured. The sheave is fixed upon a rock shaft 0 mounted insuitable brackets upon the sup orting frame. The end of the rock shaft 8 opposite to that on which the sheave O isfixed, has fixed thereon a ratchet wheel 0 which is engaged by a pawl carried by a hand lever 0 mounted to oscillate upon the rock shaft A foot operated pawl O engages the teeth of the ratchet wheel 0 to hold the rock shaft 0 in any positionto which it may be oscillated by the oscillation of the hand lever 0 1 WVhen it is desired to elevate any one of the sickle bars into inoperativeposition,.the corresponding chain M is engaged with the sickle bar at the point m and the operator then oscillates the hand lever 0 to rotate the shaft 0 and thereby wind the chain M around the sheave 0 so as to swing the sickle bar from its operative horizontal position into a vertical position. In order to lower the sickle bar into its horizontal operative position, the foot pawl O is disengaged from the ratchet wheel 0 and the rock shaft 0 permitted to be rotated by the weight of the sickle bar through the manipulation of the hand lever '0 in an obvious manner.

to the crank S In order to adjust the horizontal height of each sickle bar relatively to the ground so that it may pass over an obstruction or avoid contact with the ground when rough, a separate windlass is provided for raising or lowering the inner shoe of each sickle bar. This mechanism will be readily understood from an inspectionof Fig. 5. which illustrates the mechanism for elevating or lowering the sickle bar K. The lower end of the vertically adjustable bar M which supports the shoe has a bearing block 7) rigidly secured therein through which the pivot pin which unites the shoe thereto passes. A chain 1 is secured to the block 73 and extends upwardly through the overlying member A of the supporting frame, and thence passes around a guide pulley mounted upon the frame member, and thence passes to a sheave to which it is connected, the said sheave being fixed upon a rotary shaft Q. journaled upon the supporting frame. The inner end of the shaft Q has fixed thereon a suitable hand lever R for rotating the' same. It will be evident. that by operating the hand lever R the shaft Q will be rotated and the chain P wound on the sheave q, thereby raising the bar M and with it the sickle bar K. The sickle bar may be lowered by a reverse operation.

It will be observed by r ference to Fig. 1 that the hand levers R and R for raising and lowering the shoes L and L of the sickle bars K and K are located adjacent the hand lever R, so that the same operator may easily control the elevation of all of the sickle bars.

Each of the sickles is reciprocated upon its sickle bar by mechanism extending back .to and operated by the power shaft G. Re-

ferring to Figs. 4, 7 and 8, it will be seen that the sickle is connected at its inner end to the pitman rod 8 the opposite end of the pitman rod being pivotally connected A flexible shaft T is'connected with the crank S The portion of the crankshaft immediatelyadjacent the crank is supported within a sleeve a mounted upon the shoe L The adjacent section of the pitman shaft T is made extensible so as to compensate for the different elevations of'the shoe in any suitable manner, as, for instance, that shown in Figs. 9 and 10, in which a sleeve T is rigidly secured to one section of the pitman shaft and surrounds the adjacent section which it 11011 rotatably engages through an interposed key t*. The key permits the section of the pitman shaft which it connects with the sleeve T to niove longitudinally relatively to the sleeve, but at the same time non rotativelv connecting such portion of the shaft with the sleeve. The pitman shafts- T and T are connected in a similar manner with the corresponding shoes L and L and with the sickles 7c and If. The flexible shafts T, T and T? extend rearwardly from the respective sickle bar shoes to the power shaft Gr. Worm Wheels U, U and U are loosely mounted upon the power shaft G and mesh respectively withworms u, 16 and a fixed upon therear-ends of the flexible shafts T, T and T A separate clutch is provided for locking each of the worm gears U, U and U to the power shaft- G, one of such clutches being shown in Fig. 11. 'Each of the clutches comprises two parts V and '0 non rotatively secured to the power shaft but so as to slide thereon in any suitable manner, as by means of a key 'v. The two partsof the clutch have a ,spring V intcrposed between them and are connected to each other by links '0 having-slotsin their ends engaging pins on one of the parts of the clutch. The face of'the part (1) of the clutch is provided with teeth which engage complemental teeth on the adjacent worm -wheel U v The part '0 of the .clutch is provided with an annular groove engaged by the bifurcated ends of a yoke 7,0 The yoke is fixed:

- to the rear end of a rock shaft W suitably journaled uponthe longitudinal member A of the supporting frame; The forward end of the rock shaft V is provided with a hand lever X for oscillating the shaft and; thereby reciprocating "the clutch upon the power shaft G so as to engage or disengage. the part V of the clutch with the cooperating teeth on the worm Wheel U-. A. 'similar clutch V controls the connection of the worm U with the power shaft and is .operated by rook shaft W suitably journaled upon the longitudinal member A of the supporting' frame and provided at its forward end witha hand -'lever X". A similar clutch V is also'provided on the power shaft-G for controlling the connection therewith of the worm gear U which actuates the sickle la, The rock shaft W is provided for operating the clutch V, the bandle- X being provided for oscillating the shaft VV. In order that the hand lever X may be located. at a point adjacent to 'theand X a sprocket chain 01:v

hand levers connects sprocket pinions on the forward end of the shaft W and on the hand lever? hand wheel C -in the manner customar while the machine is in operation. I, therefore, have provided a sickle grinder Z (see Fig. 2) which may be conveniently oper-- ated by means of a sprocket chain Z connecting a shaft 2 which directly operates the grinder, with a "lower shaft 2, the latter shaft being --operatively connected by a sprocket chain Z and sprocket pinions with the power shaft G. A rack Z is shown for supporting extra sickles upon the machine. I also may provide upon the mowing machine a work-bench Z supporting a viseZ and also a drill press Z t he latter being actuated by suitable powerconnections with the power shaft G.

The manner of operating my improved mowing machine is as follows: The engine is started in the usual manner, as byfmeans of a starting crank D connected fby' -a,

sp'rocket chain (1* with a sprocket wheel on the crank shaft D of the-engine. By operating the clutch F through the medium of the hand lever f the crank shaft maybe connected with the shaft E leadin to the transmission, so that the power; sha be driven and the machine propelled through axle withthe power shaft. The speed of the machine may be controlled through the transmission mechanism by' operating "the hand lever e*. The direction of'zthe machine maybe readily controlled through the in self propelled vehicles and engines. -hei1 the machine has been driven to theflplace where it is to be used, the sickle bars are lowered by manipulating the hand levers 0', 0 and-0 thereby unwinding the respective chains M which have been previously secured to the several sickle bars at the points After the sickle bars have been lowered into horizontal posit-ion the chains M are disconnected from the sickle bars. It will be obvious that any one or two of the sickle bars may be'lowered into operative the connection of the-differential-on the rear position, While the remaining bar, or bars,

is'retained'in vertical inoperative position, according-to the existingvconditions in the use of the machine. V v

The horizontal operative positions of the sickle bars may lie-readily varied "according I 7 to the'c onditions of the ground over which they pass 'by' manipulating the hand levers 'R", R and R It is, therefore, possible to diflerently adjust 'the h'eight from the ground-ofthe sickle bars should occasion. re; quire it, or anyone sickle bar maybe temporarily raised to pass over an obstruction,

while .the other-sickle bars remain in normal operative positions.

By manipulatlng'the hand levers X, X

and X, the several clutches V, V? and V are separately operated and the pitman rods thereby operatively connected with the power shaft GI Any one or more of the chine.

tions which propel the machine.

sickles may be operatively connected with the power shaft independently of the others should the conditions of use be such as to render it desirable to have one or more of the sickles in operation while the others remain inoperative. 1

It will be observed that the steering wheel C the brake lever B the lever e forco'ntrolling the transmission and consequently the speed of the machine, and the lever f for controlling the clutch between the motor and transmission, are all conveniently located for operation by the driver of the mal'evers R, R and R for controlling the elevation of the several sickle bars, and the levers X, X and X for controllingthe clutches of the several pitman shafts, areall.

sickle or cutting blade through connections with the engine separate from the connec- It will be further observed that my invent-ion renders it possible to employ a plurality'o'f cutting blades each of which is separately operat'ively connected to a common power shaft, each of which is capable of independent adjustment into operative or inoperative position, and each of which is capable of being independently adjusted as to its height above the ground. It will be further observed that my improved mowing machine 1s so constructed as to utilize the power, speed, and capacity inherent in an engine of suitable horse power, thereby rendering itpossible to cut hay, alfalfa, or the like in greater quantities and in'less time, and with less men than has heretofore been possible.

IVhile I have shown my invention asembodied-in a machine comprising three independently controlled sickles, yet I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to any particular number of sickles, as it will be obvious that my invention may be practically embodied in -a machine comprising more than three sickles, and may also be practically embodied in a machine comprising merely one sickle or cutting blade, and while I have described more or less in detail the specific form in which I have illustrated my'invention as embodied, yet I do not wish to be understood'as'limiting myself thereto, as I contemplate changes in form, proportion of parts, and substitution of equiva- It will be further observed that the lents, as circumstances may require, or as may, be deemed expedient.

What I claim is-:'

1.- In a self-propelled mowing machine, the combination with a supporting frame, of wheels upon-which said frame is mounted, an engine supported upon said frame, means for propelling the machine opera: tively connected to said engine, a plurality of cutting blades, located in'substantially the.

same horizontal plane, means for mounting sald-blades upon the machine in posltions' to cut separate swaths, means for separately swinging said blades into substantially vertical positions, and independently controlled '80 means for separately operatively connecting the individual bladeswith said engine.

2. In a self propelled mowing machine, -the-combination with a supporting frame,

of an engine supported upon said frame, a power shaft driven by said engine, means for propelling the machine operatively connected to said power shaft, a plurality of cutting blades, located in substantially the same horizontal plane, means for mounting said blades upon the machine in positions to cut separate swaths, means for separately swinging said blades into substantially vertical positions, separately controlled means connected with said power shaft for operating each cutting blade and means for controlling the operation of each blade independently of the operation of 'the' other blades.

3. In a' self propelled mowing machine, the combination with a supporting frame, of wheels upon'which said frame is mounted,

. an engine supported upon said frame, means for propelling the machine operatively con nected to said engine, a plurality of cutting blades, located in substantially the same hori zont-al plane, means for mounting said blades upon the machine in positions to cut separate swaths, means for separately controlling and operatively connecting said blades with said engine, and means for separately vertically adjusting said cutting blades.

4. In a self-propelled mowing machine, the combination with asupporting frame, of

an engine supported upon said frame, a

power shaft driven by s-ald engine, means for propelling the machine operatively con- *nected to said power shaft, a plurality of cutting blades, located in substantially the same horizontal plane','means for mounting said blades upon the machine in posit-ions to cut-separate swaths, separate means 'connected with said power shaft for operating each cutting blade, means for separately swinging said blades into operative or in operative positions, and means for separately vertically adjusting said blades.

5. In a self propelled mowing machine,

the combination with a supporting frame, of

an engine supported upon said frame, a power shaft driven by said englne, means for propelling the machine operativelycongitudinal beams being 'ofdifferent lengths and terminating at their front ends in different transverse planes, of a plurality-of sickle bars pivotally supported in substan tially the same horizontal plane upon different longitudinal beams adjacent their front ends, whereby said blades occupy positions to cut separate swaths, means for separately swinging said sickle bars into substantially vertical positions, reciprocat- 1 ing sickles supported by said sickle bars, an

engine mounted upon said supporting frame, and independently controlled means operatively connecting the individual sickles with said engine.

7. In a mowing machine, the combination with a supporting frame, of a sickle bar, a sickle supported upon said bar, an inner shoe upon which one end ofsaid sickle bar is pivotally supported, means for. supporting saidinner shoe on said frame, a reciprocating pitman -rod connected with the sickle, a rotary pitman shaft, means for rotatably supporting one end of said shaft upon said shoe, and means connecting said shaft and rod for-reciprocating the latter.

8. In a mowing machine, the combination with a supporting frame, of a sickle bar, a

sickle supported upon said bar, an inner shoe upon which one end'of said sickle bar is pivotally supported, a bar on the lower end of which said hoe is supported, means for vertically guiding said bar upon said frame, means for vertically adjusting said bar to vary the height of the sickle bar, and flexible connections extending in opposite directions from said shoe to the supporting frame.

9. In a self propelled mowing machine, the combination with .a supporting frame comprising transverse and longitudinal beams, the longitudinal beams being of different lengths and terminating at their front ends-in diiferent transverse vertical planes, of a plurality of sickle bars pivotally supported upon different longitudinal beams adjacent. their front ends, reciprocating sickles supported by said sickle bars, an engine mounted upon said supporting frame,

- means operatively connecting said sickles with said engine, a pair of rear driving wheels and a pair of front steering wheels upon which said frame is supported, means for separately securing the front steering wheels adjacent the ends of different longitudinal beams of said frame, and means connected to both of the steering wheels for oscillating them in unison. I 10. In a mowing machine, the combination w1th a supporting frame, of a sickle bar, aninner shoe upon which one end of said sickle bar is pivotally supported, a support for said shoe, means for yertically guiding said shoe support upon'the supporting frame, means for ventically adjusting said shoe support to vary the height of the sickle bar, and means for swinging the sickle bar upon said innershoe into vertical inoperative or into horizontal-operative position.

11.. In a mowing machine, the combination with a supporting frame, of a sickle bar, an inner shoe upon which one end of said sickle bar is pivotally supported, meansforwertically adj ustably supporting said shoe upon said supporting frame, a reciprocating sickle mounted upon said sickle bar, a reciprocating pitman rod connected to said sickle, an extensible pitman shaft rotatably supported at one end upon said inner shoe, means connecting'said shaft and rod for reciprocating the latter, a power shaft, and meshed gears interposed between said power shaft and said pitman shaft for rotating the 4 latter. v

In testimony whereof, I have subscribed my name.

' CHAUNCEY SHORMAN. \Vitnesses GEO. L. \VnJuNsoN, HENRY A. PARKS. 

